Monday, February 25, 2008

I just put together a small collage of my experience at The Martha Stewart Show on Dec. 7 and I thought I'd share it with my readers. You can see me, my mom and my in-laws who were all so kind to come and support me in New York City. Thanks for making it a great time!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

On the first episode of "Crafting with Jenni B", my host, Tammy Barboza, and I made a fun Springtime Tree and darling Faux Springtime Candy Truffles. As promised, the directions are below. Please do respond and/or send pictures of your version of the tree and treats. We'd love to see them!

If you would rather just purchase your Springtime Ornaments, you may do so at http://www.jenniboriginals.etsy.com/. There are many other faux food items, gifts, and decorations available as well!

Springtime Display TreeThis unique and fun-to-make tree brings a little of the outdoors inside. Decorate it with small, lightweight ornaments such as the Faux Springtime Candy Truffles (shown below).

While you are letting the twigs dry, apply a few coats of acrylic paint to the terracotta pot with a sponge brush. Cover it completely. Don’t worry about painting all of the inside because you won’t be seeing most of the inside. Just make sure you get the upper inside rim. Let your pot dry completely.

Once your branches and pot are both dry, try arranging the branches in the pot. Make them look fairly natural. Once you have the set-up, you’re ready to mix the plaster. The plaster will help the branches stay in place exactly how you want them. Make sure you plug the hole in the bottom of your pot so the plaster doesn’t go through before you begin mixing.

By following the directions on your Plaster of Paris container (usually one part water to two parts plaster), mix the plaster. It should be pretty thin but will set up fast. Holding the branches with one hand, pour the plaster into your pot with the other. Mix more plaster if needed to fill the pot. Hold the branches in place for about ten minutes in the pot or until they can stand on their own.

When the plaster is dry (it only takes a couple of hours), cover the top of the pot with Easter grass to hide the white plaster.

Now you’re ready to decorate your Springtime Tree!

Faux Springtime Candy Truffle OrnamentsThese little cuties are perfect displayed on the Springtime Display Tree or on a nice white tree. They can even be made into place card holders or refrigerator magnets. Just use your imagination!

Take small amounts of air-drying clay and mold them into candy shapes like domes, squares, and balls. Take into account the size of the candy cups you’ll eventually be putting them into. Make as many candy forms as you wish.

Once you’ve molded your candy, let it dry over night. When you begin painting it (don’t paint them all if you want some to remain white) with the acrylic paints, they don’t have to be completely dry. They should just be dry enough that they don’t lose their shapes as you paint and decorate them.

Now you’re ready to embellish them! Make swirls of color and add the beads and glitter as desired. You can get inspiration by looking at the chocolate candy in your local sweet shop. Just be creative! This is where you can have a lot of fun.

Before moving on, make sure your candies are completely dry. Another overnight wait should be good enough. If you would like to hang your treats, you can thread the fishing line through the candy. Do this by sticking a needle through the candy, from side to side. Then slide your line through the hole the needle made. Sometimes it works a little easier if you lick the end of the fishing line before pushing it through. Once the line is through just take the ends and melt them over a candle flame. Clamp them with the pliers to secure the joint. You’re ready to place them in the candy cup!

If you aren’t making the truffles into ornaments, just place them in the candy cup and skip the process with the fishing line. To secure the candy in their cups, just add some hot glue to the bottom of the candy and then firmly press it into the cup.

Make sure you tell your guests that these yummy little treats aren’t real because they’ll probably want to take a bite!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Okay, so it may still be freezing outside but I still want Spring to come early! I've been cooking up some new Springy items in hopes that the weather would cooperate. Check out some of the latest!

This is just a small variety of some of my springtime items.

I still can't get over the mini cupcakes. I've added glass glitterto this one to resemble sugar. Then I couldn't help but put it ona tree. Now I have a cupcake tree for Spring!I sort of hope nobody buys these so I can use them all season. :)Actually, one of my favorite things about this item is that it'sso versatile. It's a place card holder, it's a picture holder,it's an ornament! Plus, if you use them as place card holders at yourbridal or baby shower, you can also use them as favors.The guests can just take them home and use them to hold their own pictures!

Would you take a look at these place card holders? I created themfor my new show, "Crafting with Jenni B". We made themon the first episode. You'll definitely see the instructions onhow to make them here on my blog in the next week or so.Wouldn't these be the cutest thing sitting ateach place of your next Spring gathering? Yes!!

Ever wonder what my studio looks like? Well, here it is! Half ofit, anyway. I had to take a picture since it was so clean. I haveto admit, this is probably my favorite room in the house. I gotto design it as well as the adjoining bathroom to my ownspecifications. It was fun! I love having my very own space to work in.